The Infinitives That Matter
by Bjordion
Summary: [IchixRuki] To own Bleach... sadly, this isn't the case.  Props to all the Bleach fanfics that have inspired me to sit down and write.  This story can best be summarized as serious fluff... if there is such a thing.  Read and find out for yourself.


"ICHI-!"she cried, jolting up into a sitting position in her closet. "-go," she finished, her voice trailing off into a whisper with that last syllable as the dream dust faded from her vision. Tension drained away from her body in waves that left her limbs slightly numb as reality slowly came back into focus. A heavy sigh of relief welled up within her, rising up through her diaphragm, gathering itself into her heaving shoulders and expelling itself from her lungs into the crisp autumn air. _It was just a dream, _she kept telling herself again and again. _Just a dream. _She shuddered.

Her breathing under control once more, she silently slid her closet door open, _just to make sure he's all right_ she justified. Expertly she weaved her way across the cool wooden floor on the balls of her feet, unconsciously avoiding the spots that were apt to creak. After nearly a century and a half of intense training and fighting, such a practice was second nature to her.

_It's part of the mission_ she thought as she approached his bed, bolstering herself against the doubt of truth that unpleasantly tickled the edge of her consciousness.

* * *

"It is evident that Kurosaki Ichigo bears watching," the Commander-General, Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai had stated in his matter-of-fact tone that neither rushed itself nor wasted time in such a way as the old are prone to do. He had stood stoically at the head of the meeting hall as he addressed the assembled captains and vice-captains of Gotei 13. "Whether or not the hollow within will devour him can only be told by time. However, should he ultimately gain control over and subdue his inner demon, he may have the potential to become the most powerful Shinigami in the history of Soul Society. If he is to possess a chance to survive himself, he must begin captain level training immediately!"

Despite herself, Rukia's eyes had betrayed her, opening wide at the Commander-General's words. Captain level training at his age was beyond unheard of… it was outright insanity! Only after _centuries_ of dedicated service in Soul Society was a Shinigami even considered for advancement, and then only when there happened to be a vacancy in a captain's position, which, the recent Aizen incident aside, was an exceedingly rare occurrence.

"To have a hope of success," the Commander-General had continued, "The boy will need guidance and instruction. Unfortunately, no captain can be spared at this time to oversee Ichigo's training."

* * *

Rukia stood over Ichigo's prone body, the young man deep in an exhaustion-induced slumber. Looking out his bedroom window onto the moonlit streets of Karakura, in her mind's eye she saw beyond the telephone poles, cement sidewalks and quiet parks of the modest village to the meeting hall in Soul Society where it had all taken place. Where she had been assigned to Ichigo by the Commander-General himself as the young Shinigami's guardian and teacher. Where she had been commended for her staunch bravery in the face of her planned execution. And where she had been publicly acknowledged by Byakuya-sama for honoring the Kuchiki name throughout her trials and tribulations of the past month. She had no memory of any of this, as her brain had completely blacked out as soon as the Commander-General had opened his ancient eyes, bringing them to rest upon the unsuspecting, raven haired Shinigami seated toward the back of the meeting hall. What she knew she had been told by Renji and Captain Ukitake, and even then she had trouble believing all that they said.

Even now, weeks since that fateful day, she still had difficulty wrapping her mind around all that had occurred. It was… overwhelming. Never in her wildest dreams could she have hoped to conjure such an outcome. Yet here she was, watching over Ichigo as he slept. Performing her duty.

Duty. The word was an almost palpably painful reminder of her reasons for being here, as well as the reasons she was not. She was to instruct, to guide. Nothing else. She was honest enough with herself to admit that she held feelings for Ichigo, but that came second. He was too important for her to allow selfish emotion to impede his training.

But that didn't stop her from secretly reveling in moments such as these. She smiled to herself, for no particular reason. She was near Ichigo. Maybe that was reason enough. Giving a final quick glance out the bedroom window, Rukia quietly retreated back to her closet, content with the knowledge that Ichigo was safely sleeping. She crawled back into her bed and began to ease the closet door shut. With an inch to go, her hands fell away from the closet door, almost guiltily, leaving a small crack open to Ichigo's room. Hesitantly, she tilted her head horizontally, putting her eyes to the crack, and caught sight of Ichigo lying peacefully in his bed. She laid her head down on the small mattress, Ichigo still in her sights as her eyelids began to grow heavy.

_It's for the mission_ she told herself as she drifted off to sleep. _Just in case._


End file.
